MMA Conditioning: Balancing Power and Endurance

With a trade-off between power and endurance in MMA, it is essential to understand what MMA conditioning is all about and how to balance your energy system.

The biggest part of confusion in conditioning in MMA is the balancing of energy system. The human body is designed to produce massive power for a very short time, low to moderate power for very long period and moderate power for moderate time. Simply put, it is not physiologically possible that you’ll see a power lifter also holding a record in triathlon.

The golden rule of energy production is the greater the power output, the shorter the duration. This is an important principle to understand in MMA, since there is an ultimate trade-off between power and endurance. This also explains why a heavyweight fighter doesn’t have the endurance of a lightweight, while a lightweight fighter will never have the strength and power of a heavyweight. That said, you must find the balance between aerobic and anaerobic energy production. The former can produce energy for longer, while the latter can produce energy of higher rate but with limited endurance.

Balancing your aerobic and anaerobic energy system dictates your level of explosive power and endurance. Too much of the anaerobic direction will lead to conditioning problems, while too much aerobics will slack your explosive strength and power. Balance between power and endurance is necessary to beat your opponent in every round, while being explosive enough to capitalize on their mistakes can give you a win on any point. However, acquiring this balance requires hard work, accurate assessment, effective program and basic understanding of what MMA conditioning is all about.